Methods and devices for noninvasive pressure measurment in ventricular shunts

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring the intraluminal pressure in a ventricular shunt. The shunt may have one or more measurement nodes housing a pressure-sensitive body that changes dimensions in response to the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid within the lumen of the shunt. The change in the dimensions of the pressure-sensitive body may be measured transcutaneously using an ultrasonic transducer and processed using a processor to estimate the intraluminal pressure. The shunt may include one or more pressure-measurement nodes distributed along the length of the shunt to enable the detection of shunt occlusions and valve malfunctioning.

1 . A ventricular shunt for draining a cerebrospinal fluid from a brain comprising:
 a tubing with a lumen;   a first node disposed at a first location along the length of the tubing;   the first node includes a first body that is configured to change dimensions in response to a first pressure at the first location;   
     
     
         2 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the dimensions of the first body is measured ultrasonically. 
     
     
         3 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the dimensions of the first body are used to determine the first pressure at the first location. 
     
     
         4 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is determined from the dimensions of the first body using a predetermined calibration. 
     
     
         5 . A ventricular shunt for draining a cerebrospinal fluid from a brain comprising:
 a tubing with a lumen;   a first node disposed at a first location along the length of the tubing;   a second node disposed at a second location along the length of the tubing;   the first node includes a first body that is configured to change dimensions in response to a first pressure at the first location;   the second node includes a second body that is configured to change dimensions in response to a second pressure at the second location;   
     
     
         6 . The shunt of  claim 5 , wherein the dimensions of the first body and the dimensions of the second body are measured ultrasonically. 
     
     
         7 . The shunt of  claim 5 , wherein the dimensions of the first body are used to determine the first pressure and the dimensions of the second body are used to determine the second pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The shunt of  claim 5 , wherein a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is used to detect occlusion between the first location and the second location.